Deal events like Amazon’s Big Spring Sale are a great time for PC builders, because there are always steals to be had on components. One of the highlights right now is this PCIe 5.0 SSD from Crucial, boasting performance far beyond anything you’ve experienced before.
Sure, you need a motherboard and CPU combination that can actually take advantage of it, but if you’re building or recently built a new machine and have a slot for one, getting a PCIe 5.0 SSD for under $150 is craziness.
Do you really need one, though?
Here’s the thing about PC building. There is always something bigger, faster, stronger to put inside your machine. When it comes to storage, I would always recommend getting the fastest your budget allows, simply because it makes for a better overall experience.
If you work with large files, especially, it’s a real benefit. If you have a compatible PC to use one of these right now, then yes, I’d say it’s worth it, especially at this price. The premium over a PCIe 4.0 SSD isn’t massive, and you’re set for many years to come.
The trade-off, however, for all this performance, is heat. With read/write speeds of up to 11,700/9500MB/s on this Crucial T700, it’s going to get warm. The one in this deal doesn’t come with a heat sink included, but you can always add your own. Some motherboards will already have them over the SSD slot, too. But you do have to pay more attention than in previous years to cooling your SSD. Ensure you have good airflow going across the top of it.
Essentially, it’s a “why not” situation, though. If you can get the latest and greatest, even if you don’t think you’ll benefit now, why not? Take advantage of discounts when you can!
